"A great place to visit"

I would consider the parts of this district that are farther from Market Street to be part of SoMa, but, nonetheless, this is a thriving area.

The scenery around the south Financial District includes a lot of high rises and medium office buildings. On Market Street, you'll find a lot of well-dressed business people dashing here and there. At lunch, there are usually a lot of people frequenting the many restaurants and cafes. I wouldn't consider this a place where tourists flock congregate. There are shops in this area, but they seem to be off the beaten path. Tourists tend to stick to Market Street because it's easier to navigate.

Because a lot of people commute t this area, there are a lot of transportation options. A number of buses run down Market, like the 5, 38, or 21, and the Embarcadero BART stops right on Market, too. About a block from this neighborhood is the Transbay Terminal, where all the buses have their final stops. You can catch a number of buses here.

"The heart and soul of San Francisco commerce"

A small plot of land that lies just south of Market Street and extends to the Bay Bridge, the Financial District is the heart and soul of the San Francisco business district. The area offers everything from high-rise buildings to street performers to a glimpse of the trolly as the operators park it over a circular rotating platform.

Home to a wide range of Fortune 500 companies, thousands of business men and women commute to the district each day. With many buildings have a sweeping view of the bay, its no wonder that it serves as the epicenter of many financial institutions.

The area also offers beautiful hotels for the out-of-towners with luxurious upscale lobbies and hotel bars. For your shopping needs, the Financial District features a myriad of department stores, retail shops and luxury goods. During the week, the Financial District is a hotspot for after hours drinks. Hundreds of people swarm the neighborhood wine bars and trendy restaurants to meet with coworkers and friends.

The Metreon calls the Financial District home. This attractive museum of modern art boasts a larger than life IMAX theatre and hundreds of wonderful exhibits.

If you’re commuting during working hours, Muni and Bart gets cramped. But because it is a thriving transportation hub, it gives people access to the East Bay and the greater San Francisco area. Bus routes run in all directions, from the 8X, 30 and 45 running north to south and the 7, 21 and 71 rolling up and down Market Street. Traffic is usually stop and go, with a few exceptions during the night.

"Another heart within the heart of San Francisco"

The South Financial District doesn’t even feel what it’s name says. What this neighborhood feels like is a small extension of what Downtown San Francisco has to offer. Granted there are lots and lots of tall financial buildings in this neighborhood, there are as well several hotels and shopping areas. I use to do some work in the Financial District, and I can tell you first hand, that the mood is very lively. You’ll see working men and women all dressed up professionally walking to work and all. There are also some great small cafes here and there were these working men and women will often go to on their breaks and all. The Financial District is a very busy place, as is Downtown San Francisco. One thing I noticed is that there aren’t as many homeless people in this area, but there are still some, probably due to the nature of the work environment and how everyone one rushes through this neighborhood. Due to the busy nature of the Financial District, MUNI buses and trains tend to get very packed. Good thing this isn’t like Japan, people know when it’s full and when it’s not. However, there are two buses that are quite the annoyance, I believe they are the 38 and 45 that run through to Chinatown. Those two lines are always packed with elderly Chinese folks, who I swear, have no sense of when the bus is full or not. I’ve seen countless tourists on these buses get really surprised as a plethora of elderly Chinese folks rushes onto the buses.

"The heart of San Francisco"

The Financial District (South) in San Francisco brings so much more than any other financial district in most major cities. Eccentric shopping, district high-rises, beautiful hotels, great restaurants, and so much more. Here is where you will find the melting pot of San Francisco culture.

Art is big in San Francisco and here is where you will find the San Francisco Museum of Art as well as, the Cartoon Art Museum. The Cartoon Art Museum is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting all forms of cartoon art and it truly is amazing. You can even rent the venue for special events and parties.

Grab a bite at one of the greatest eateries on the planet or sit back and people watch one a bench. This district has it all.

"Thriving Downtown Beauty"

The South part of the Financial District in SF is a thriving part of the city and here you'll find some wonderful culture. Shops, business people and restaurants abound, as do homeless people, bringing you a real flavor for the fullness of San Francisco residence.

Have a great dinner at Osha Thai on 2nd Street then go around the corner to Howard and grab a beer at Kate O'Briens. If you'd rather look than eat, you can enjoy the Cartoon Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, some lovely ladies at the Gold Club and may even notice some of the tiles in the sidewalks have glitter in them, sparkling in the sunshine.